Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-29

"let's settle here the Malinaltepecaios
have in their tribe many fair though dusky
maidens, whom it were an honor to bestow
upon us.
The pseudo millionaire checked him stern
ly-
Mated with squalid savage what to me were
l. the heir Of ali the ages in the foremost files Of
timeF
"As for you-would Mrs. A. take kindly
to such an arrangement :"
The mineralogists jaw fell he sat down
on a rock and buried his face in his hands.
When it emerged it had hopeful look.
"At all events, old fellow, let's one of us
be a recluse an unkind fate has deprived
me of the opportunity, but either you or
the naturalist could do the thing up brown
and / have an idea that in no other way
can we get at the secret of the hidden
mine it is the only way left ; marry
daughter Of the presidente, get adopted in
10 the tribe and gradually, in the course of
years, obtain the whole story On second
thought, the naturalists the man he's
| young, vigorous, devoted 10 pursuits that
he can follow right here and moreover he
has a sneaking inclination toward the nut
brown maids | saw him, yesterday, view
! ing that supple iointed tOrtHiOrd with more
u ,
age woman, and let him become the re-
! cusen
| But the naturalist protested he didn't
want any savage woman, and wasn't yearn-
| ing to rear any race, dusky or otherwise ;
! he was willing to follow the chief, even to
| the uttermost parts Of the earth taking
! his enjoyment as he went along from the
novelty Of the shifting scenes but when
the panorama ceased 10 unroll and the mu-
sic stopped, he knew he should feel utterly
miserable 50 the mineralogist could plan
| for himsef-stay if he liked-and he would
take any message he chose 10 send to his
wife.
The chief looked his approval, and by the
time the horses were saddled A. had con
ceived another notion, the matter was
dropped.
/ do not think our eremite took more
pleasure in his valley than Crusoe on his
island, for he admitted that the solitude was
at times oppressive yet he claimed to be
perfectly happy for when he was thirsty
he drank, when hungry he ate when
sleepy he slept, and when he wanted money
he ordered the Indians to dig in the mine
for the ore, which he smelted and sold.
lie may have been happy-he seemed
contcnted-but observed, rs we rode over
the ridge, on our return, and halted u mo
ment to wave an adeu, that he looked af
ter us very wistfuly, and brushed his
sleeve across his eyes before his hand fell
from the salute he was waiting US.
As we reached the hut allotted 70 us in
the village, and while Don Santos was re
moving the saddles from our tirel horses,
the chief said to me, standing with barred
head beneath giant walnut tree
"We will now depart traditions, chrOni-
cles, threats even, and omens, have signi-
fled nothing at all The mine can't be
found-at least, not here possessed Of but
small store Of the worlds goods, we came
into this valley We leave it even poorer
than we came. Idyuos ~
Still, We were 10th to part from these
people Of Malinaltepec, whose only fault
was that they held secret of priceless
value which they refused to divulge Many
of the three or four hundred Indians living
here were camping in their fields, in their
mipIS. in little huts, until the harvest
time They own their land in common
AS do most Of the Mexican Indians-culti-
waiting 1t together, and sharing the fruits
Of their toll. 1t was owing 10 a reaction
AIRY Spanish law, of some two centuries ago,
that the Mexican Indian was secured i'll
possession of little of the soil once held
by his ancestors. As the Spainards at first
feared to settle in regions remote from
cities, and the forests and the mountain
lands were left to the Indian, he has held
virtual possession Of them since the con-
quest even as the West Indian negro
claims the hill and woody section of plan
tations for the cultivation Of his yam and
banana crops. And 50 these SerrdHOS, with
more land than they care 10 till, with few
desires they cannot crafty, and only bur
dened by light taxes, seem as contented as
it is possible for human beings to be.
When the villagers learned we were go
ing, they seemed very sorry and sent us
pressing messages TO remain, with presents
Of plums and oranges. As evening ap-
preached, an Indian in a ragged frock came
and rang the big bell, hanging underneath
the matched scaffolding, for ordcion, OF
evening prayer, and IA women placed d
fresh bunch of flowers before the Virgin
image Then, in peace and quietness, the
day went out and deep darkness settled
about Us all buried in the orange groves OF
that bit of terra cdiiehte
Our recreant guide, Don Celestino, de
parted before We were awake, in the gray
dawn of the ensuing morning. While We
were rubbing our dim eyes and wondering
what his motive was friend appeared
no less a parsonage than the worthy com
didot,,te of Quiotepec Don Agustino Cas-
tillo-and supplied material for another
chapter Of the romance. He had heard OF
our unsuccessful assay, and had mounted
his jackass in hot haste, riding down from
his eyrie and swimming the yellow flooded
Rio Grande Just as daylight broke. For h'
had found out, at last, that though all th'
people knew of the mine, but one family
knew its location. With the head of thi
family, a stalwart young Indian, Don Aug
ustino, wrestled man fully, until he promis
ed to take us to the place-if the peopl,
were willing. At first they were not, bu
the conldhddnte assembled and harangue,
them long and earnestly, in their guttera
language telling them what fools they
were for denying TO these SehOres Ameri
canos the region Of gold, when the work
ing of the mines-for which they had no
capital enough - would not only enricl
them, but the last mothers son of them
down to the tenth generation. This brough
, them around, and we gradually got at tn
discovery of the mine, and Celestinos con
, nection with it.
The grandfather of the present possesso
of the secret made the discovery of tn
vein while working in his mdpd, planting
nidgtey some fifty years ago, and few
years after took specimens of the ore Il
Don Celestino, who was then working a
his trade as a silversinith, at lXtlan. The!
took the specimens to Oaxaca for assay
giving out that they had been found by hi
servant, at which the Indian took umbrag,
being a free and independent man-re
fused to show him the mine, stopped it al
and Obliterated all traces of his workings.
But the Indian was supersttious-beinl
a good Catholc-and placed some of tn
richest Jumps before the wooden image o
~ il in. la
appreciation these Celestino stole, an,
with them had gladdened the eyes Of va
rious prospectors, including ourselves, 70
at least two score years. lie it was VIII
gave such information TO the governor o
Oaxaca, and to General Hernandez, as let
them to invade Malinaltepec, twenty year
. ago, with a force of soldiers, and threateI
the president until he conducted them to
vein-but it proved to be not the right on
not good for anything at all, The Sc
cret remained with the old Indian, VIII
fled TO the forest and stayed there Will
the soldiers were searching. When h
died he described the place in his last tesla
ment, and his son likewise handed it dowl
without further examination, to the young
Indian.
Thanks to Don Augustine, this man nov
stood ready to conduct us TO the spot, pro
Nlueu tnat Celestlno shoulu nave no shaI'
in the spoils-for the Indian of the Sierri
hates treachery-and all the people, afte
Il long palaver, finally gave their consent.
During negotiations, we had remained il
hiding at Quiotepec and when Don Au
gustino returned with the tidings of victory
we hied ourselves to the valley again. l
was Sunday, quiet and serene, for ever!
head of family in the village was busil!
engaged in getting himself into a state o
inebriety. The president himself, smal
and ill-conditioned Indian, but rejoicing il
a name long enough to make up for hi